Monthly Archives: November 2015

As the calendar turned over to November and daylight savings time ended, my thoughts quickly turned to the holidays. They are just around the corner … the mad rush is about to begin!

I remember one year when our spunky puppy managed to sneak into the garbage can after our Thanksgiving dinner and almost choked on a turkey bone. Another year our neighbor’s dog was happily munching on a poinsettia plant and became violently ill and had to be rushed to a 24 hour vet.

It made me realize that often in the rush of the holidays, with unfamiliar people over at the house, that dog safety can fly out the window. Here’s some tips to keep you and your pooch safe, so you can enjoy the holidays versus spending them in an emergency room!

Did you know that canine diabetes usually occurs in senior dogs who are seven years or older? That approximately 1 in every 160 dogs has diabetes? That the rate of dog diabetes has tripled since 1970?

Diabetes is very prevalent in dog owners as well. More than 29.1 million people or 9.3% of Americans have diabetes with the largest percentage being senior citizens. Why does the onset correspond to older age? Because whether you are a dog or human, metabolism slows down as we age, and our exercise programs seem to falter. Fast food is so tempting because who wants to cook for just two people?